Paralegal (Real Estate)

At Haynes and Boone, our people are the driving force behind our success. Because we value the role every individual plays in how we deliver exceptional legal services, we hire people who will contribute to our professional reputation, enhance client relationships and share in our success.

Haynes and Boone is one of the largest law firms in Dallas, and it continues to grow. In 2023, Haynes and Boone moved its headquarters to a new 27-story office tower in the Harwood District of uptown Dallas. Lawyers in our Dallas office serve all the firm’s practice and industry areas – including corporate, litigation, banking/finance, insurance law, healthcare law, labor and employment, estate planning, real estate, bankruptcy, intellectual property, white collar crime, and antitrust. Our Dallas lawyers are widely recognized in their practice areas in publications such as The Best Lawyers in America directory (Woodward/White, Inc.) and the Chambers USA legal directory (Chambers & Partners). This office attracts high-energy, technically proficient people who enjoy working in a collegial environment. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that reflects our communities, and we seek highly motivated lawyers and staff who value our culture of respect and teamwork.

Basic Function

This non-exempt employee will assist attorneys in accomplishing clients’ goals by using organizational, analytical and communication skills.  Position will help manage the transactional Real Estate practice by  working with various legal teams across firm offices to organize large due diligence sets, loan closing sets, to assist with commercial loan closings, to obtain and summarize lien filings, to review title and surveys for applicable real estate collateral, to track lien and other corporate filings, to draft basic transaction documents from existing forms and templates, and to assist lawyers in compliance with client protocols.

Essential Duties

• Manage, organize, and analyze due diligence materials for commercial loan closings, including constituent documents, officer’s certificates, resolutions, and corporate and lien filings.
• Order and track lien searches and title reports and prepare drafts of lien filings in each case at state, county, and federal levels.
• Conduct basic real estate title and survey diligence, experience not required but preferred. 
• Prepare first drafts of closing checklists and loan documents based on forms, revise loan documents based on attorney instructions, and schedules to credit agreements, security agreements, mortgages, and information certificates.
• Interact with finance legal teams, local and foreign counsels, and clients to facilitate all aspects of loan closings and closing deliverables.
• Prepare, track, collect, collate, and assemble copies and wet-ink signature pages to loan documents.
• Manage process for closings and closing deliverables.   
• Prepare closing binders.
• Assist, in coordination with knowledge management specialists and attorneys, client form documents and protocols.

Other Duties

• Manage administrative aspects of client relationships.
• Perform other related duties as needed or assigned.

Reporting Relationship

Reports directly to the Office Administrator, and directly and indirectly to assigned attorneys. 

Qualifications:

Knowledge/Experience:

The Real Estate Paralegal must have a minimum of 2 years of experience.  Experience within a law firm environment strongly preferred.  The Real Estate Paralegal should possess the ability to manage a multitude of tasks and loan transactions concurrently.  This employee should be able to work independently with minimal supervision. 

Skills:

The Real Estate Paralegal must possess above-average organizational, analytic, and problem solving skills and have the ability and desire to learn difficult concepts.  This employee should also have competent computer skills, including use of Word, Excel, NetDocs and other related web or cloud based programs.

Education:

A bachelor’s degree or paralegal certification from an ABA approved school. 

Physical Demands:

Must be able to move around the office up to 15% of the time to scan documents, file, etc. Remains stationary at least 75% of the time.  This position constantly operates, computers and other office productivity machines (e.g., scanner, printer, etc.). Occasionally required to move documents or files weighing up to 15 lbs. This position requires constant communication and exchange of information with the Firm attorneys, clients and staff. This position must be able to inspect and observe information on a computer screen at least 80% of the time.

Working Conditions

Office environment.  Overtime Required.